This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art which may be related to various aspects of the present invention which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
The prevalence and number of available display systems has grown in recent years. Such display systems include cathode ray tube (“CRT”) televisions, LCD (“Liquid Crystal Display”) televisions, DLP (“Digital Light Projection”) televisions, plasma screen televisions, and/or video projectors. These systems utilize various components to present images to a user of the display system. For instance, with a rear projection DLP television, a light engine assembly may utilize a source to project an image through a mirror to a screen. As these systems have evolved, the systems that provide clearer and more precise images have become desirable. Thus, a design goal of many systems is to provide images with little error.
In systems that utilize a light engine assembly, such as DLP televisions, the light engine assembly is generally installed on the base or ground portion of the cabinet, while the screen and mirror may be coupled to other portions of the cabinet, such as a top or upper portion. As a result, the image projected on the screen relies on the accuracy of several molded plastic cabinet parts, each having different mechanical tolerances. These tolerances may vary considerably relative to the requirements of a microdisplay system utilized in the light engine assembly.
Because these tolerances vary, the operators of the systems have relied on several methods to adjust the system to remove or minimize alignment errors that cause distortions or other problems. For instance, operators have installed shims or in-cabinet adjustment screws. Further, the manufacturers have required more restrictive tolerances of the cabinet parts. These various methods have increased the cost of manufacturing the systems (labor and component parts) and increased complexity of the system. A cost-effective method and apparatus for reducing the alignment errors is desirable.